Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector

Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector is a dice-driven role-playing game set in the Starward Belt, a ramshackle asteroid belt of habitats, secrets and people trying to make ends meet. You are a sleeper: an emulation of a human mind housed in an artificial body. On the run from the corporation that made you and a gang seeking to control you, you must find a way to build a future for yourself.

Life on the run

After escaping your corporate overlords, you fell under the control of a local criminal gang led by Laine. You tried to free yourself from servitude by rewriting the code that governs your system, but now you are on the run again with a malfunctioning body, a price on your head and no memory of your past. Your choices shape your character’s future, with branching storylines and skill checks that let you express your class and character in scenes.

The Starward Belt is larger and more varied than the world of the original game. You chart a course freely from hub to hub, choosing which jobs to take, what goals to pursue and which locations and stories deserve your time and resources. The Belt rewards curiosity and care.

Your ship and crew

You start with a stolen, battered Rig that has seen better days. Upgrade it to extend its range, reach new locations and make it a home. Your first crew member is Serafin, a fellow escapee and a dependable pilot. You can bring aboard scrappers, engineers and other characters, from temporary contractors to new residents; each has their own story, skills and troubles.

Contracts

Contracts are multi-cycle, high-risk jobs that take place away from the Belt’s hubs, bars and shops. They include exploring dangerous derelicts, carrying out risky heists, surveying asteroids and repairing ships. Prepare carefully, choose an approach and use your skills, crew and resources to complete each job and get paid. You must also adapt to the dice rolls and unexpected turns during the work.

Dice and abilities

Choose a class, configure your skills and assemble your crew. Each class has a unique Push ability that you can upgrade and customise. Use it to turn a difficult job around, or risk sending yourself into a dangerous spiral. You can reroll dice to change your fate or focus a single die and stake everything on a major success; each class offers different tactical possibilities.

The returning dice system has been revised for the sequel. Manage stress, which can damage your dice, and deal with glitches as they build up in your system. Push yourself to seek better luck, while weighing the risks to your artificial body.